Curation Team
NOIDA: Registry services at the sub registrar office in Greater Noida were suspended for the second day as advocates and document writers launched an indefinite strike opposing the proposed relocation of the office earlier on Tuesday.
The protest was triggered by a local news report suggesting that the office would be shifted from its current premises in the Greater Noida Authority complex in Gamma-2 to a new building currently under construction in front of the Basic Education Officer’s office near the district court in Surajpur.
The striking lawyers, under the banner of the Advocates and Deed Writers Association, stated that the court area is already overcrowded and unsuitable for registry operations, and demanded that the office not be relocated.
Responding to these concerns, Brijesh Kumar, assistant inspector general-2, Stamps and Registrations department, met the striking advocates and assured them that no final decision has been made to relocate the Sub Registrar Office.
“The news report is false and the office is not being relocated. We have received the representation and the concerns raised are being considered seriously,” Kumar told TOI on Wednesday.
He also issued a departmental letter stating the same, undersigned by AIG-1 BS Verma as well as AIG-2 Brijesh Kumar. Despite the assurance and written confirmation, the striking advocates have decided to continue their protest.
“More than 1,000 lawyers and deed writers are associated with this office which has been here for the last 27 years. There is no space for chambers in the proposed new location and not even basic parking facilities. The public will face severe inconvenience. We’ve held multiple rounds of talks with senior officials and public representatives, but we did not receive any satisfactory response. This strike will continue until our demand is met,” said advocate Deepak Kumar Sharma, one of the leaders of the protest.
Since Tuesday, registry work remained completely suspended, forcing residents to return without getting their documentation done. Officials said that around 250 registries could not be completed due to the strike so far.
Meanwhile, advocate Mahesh Bhati, secretary of the association, said, “The written letter is not satisfactory for us and we need an authority like the DM to give it to us in writing.”
